The recent summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Baku has produced outcomes that resonate beyond the two nations, impacting the broader region and all of Eurasia.

The most significant result is undoubtedly the North-South Corridor agreement. This corridor, which stretches from India through Iran, Azerbaijan, the Caspian Sea, and Russia, acts as a new air corridor countering the U.S.’s efforts to encircle Russian energy politics.

This corridor is also designed to transport Russian gas to Azerbaijan, creating a new route for Moscow to indirectly export gas to Europe. Although the current capacity of TAP and TANAP pipelines is insufficient, a new formula is on the table: Azerbaijan, which produces around 50 billion cubic meters of natural gas and consumes half domestically, will use Russian gas domestically and sell its product to Europe. It’s a win-win scenario.

As part of the North-South Corridor agreement, the two countries will also collaborate on joint shipbuilding projects. They will construct modern oil tankers and liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessels, enhancing trade in both the Black Sea and the Caspian-Azov route via the Volga-Don Canal.

THE DEVELOPMENT ROAD AND ZANGEZUR CORRIDOR

How will Putin and Aliyev's North-South Corridor impact Turkey? Turkey has its own Development Road project with Iraq and the Zangezur Corridor project with Azerbaijan.

However, the Zangezur Corridor seems to be on hold. Recently, Baku and Yerevan agreed to remove the issue from their draft peace treaty. Yerevan seeks to protect its sovereignty and opposes the corridor being controlled by Russian guards. Additionally, Iran is against the project as it would eliminate its border with Armenia.

It appears that Aliyev and Putin have decided to delay the matter to prevent Zangezur from becoming a regional issue that could stir Western interest, allowing time for a resolution to mature.

THE U.S. CENTRAL ASIA-CAUCASUS CORRIDOR PLAN

One of the critical aspects of the North-South Corridor is that it keeps India involved in the regional project. The U.S. has been working hard to incorporate India into its initiatives. For example, the U.S.-sponsored India-Middle East-Europe Corridor, which included India, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel, the Eastern Mediterranean, and Europe, was shelved after the October 7 Aksa Storm.

Regarding the U.S., readers of Horizon Beyond may remember our recent focus on the U.S. Central Asia-Caucasus/Black Sea-Europe Corridor plan. U.S. Trade Representative Kathleen Tai had proposed an “alternative middle corridor” to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State James O’Brien described a trade corridor in his Senate testimony that would start in Central Asia, pass through Armenia and Azerbaijan, and reach Europe.

THE BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE

In the context of global power struggles, the key issue is this: The U.S. views China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which connects Asia to Europe and Africa, as the most significant obstacle to its global leadership. Washington, therefore, seeks to disrupt the Belt and Road at various choke points and halt its development by creating alternatives. The U.S. Central Asia-Caucasus/Black Sea-Europe Corridor plan is part of this strategy.

In summary, the broader picture reveals that two fundamental "road" wars are unfolding across the Eurasian (Europe+Asia) landscape: the roads connecting Asia internally and with Europe, and the alternatives the U.S. is attempting to develop in response.

While the North-South Corridor, Zangezur Corridor, Turkey-Iraq Development Road, and Turkey’s proposal for integration with the Belt and Road via the Middle Corridor may appear to conflict tactically, they are, in fact, strategically aligned regional projects. They embody the win-win principle and are open to the shared benefit of the entire region.

Integrating these corridors under the Belt and Road Initiative would offer significant gains for the nations of Asia and Europe.